Botterman, Eppo (17th/18th century)

Eppo Botterman, a preacher of the Waterlanders in Groningen, studied under Galenus Abrahamsz de Haan and was ordained 12 May 1700, at Groningen (Holland). He was also a respected member of the Collegiants and became their leader. Since this step caused offense in his congregation he resigned in 1714, but upon request resumed his office in 1725. Three years later the conservative Jacobus Rijsdijk was appointed as his colleague. Tension developed between them and Botterman was accused of favoring Socinian views (1739). He was acquitted of this suspicion by the directorate of the Reformed Church, but now Rijsdijk accused him of being actually Reformed. Rijsdijk went to Almelo in 1742, and relations improved. Botterman was a member of the directorate of the Frisian Doopsgezinde Societeit, which he had helped to found in 1695 and to which most of the congregations in the province of Friesland belonged, as did also the Groningen and Sappemeer congregations in the province of Groningen. He was still preaching in 1752. The date of his death is not known. He is the author of Het ware Afbeeldsel van een Collegiant (Leeuwarden, 1735), and Vriendelijke en ernstige aanmerkingen op de verhandelinge van Ds. Jacobus Rijsdijk (Groningen, 1742).